RACE EXPERIENCE Philosophy

The Events

The SCCA Race Experience program is built on the concept of access and SCCA’s unofficial motto of “fun with cars.” Race Experience is made up of two types of events: Sprint Races (Club Race Experience) and longer races with multiple drivers, pit stops, etc. (Endurance Experience).

The Club Race Experience events work a lot like SCCA Road Racing - one driver, one car, a few races per weekend. These can also work as "alternate driving schools" for those wishing to get their SCCA competition license.

The Endurance Experience is a lot like the "easy access" (sometimes called "low buck") non-SCCA series which run across the country. These events are designed for a group of people or friends to work together, get a race car ready, and share that experience and cost to complete a goal — in this case, the race.

The Feel

The ultimate goal of each SCCA Race Experience is for all cars and drivers to finish. On-track contact, off-track conflicts, rule-bending, cheating and generally poor attitudes are counter to the goals of the program and won’t be tolerated.

All contact will be investigated, with standard, significant penalties for avoidable incidents. For transparency, a list of standard penalty guidelines for common infractions as well as a list of penalties assessed will be published in advance. In other words, you’ll have a pretty good idea of a penalty before it’s even committed — so just don’t do it! Mistakes will happen, but we’re here to have fun and race cleanly.

The Cars

Because of safety requirements, there is a set of rules that determines if a car is appropriate or not always, but the goal is to make "appropriate" large enough that your team can fit the vehicles, pieces, parts and motor swaps in, in a way that fits your budget, dreams and ideas. The goal will not be a pro-racing style balance of performance where every car can run a lap time to the tenth of a second. Rather, the goal will be to give each driver a chance to race their car and come away smiling - wherever they finish.

Because of limited experience, and to reduce the range of speeds on track there is a "performance limit" Generally this means about a 7:1 weight:horsepower ratio and production standard suspension geometry. This isn’t really a place for factory-built race cars; they have the rest of the world to use as a playground.

The Qualifications

As with vehicles, the goal is to make wheel-to-wheel racing to the widest possible variety of enthusiasts. Race licenses are not required, and all events will have driver coaching as part of the event - those drivers with less experience will have classrooms available to them, and experienced drivers to help guide their experience and learning.

The Final Guiding Lights

In short, the ultimate goal is to provide a safe, fun and welcoming way to race with the SCCA and with your friends. The SCCA has accomplished exactly this in its Track Night in America and Time Trials programs, and now has the tools and the resources to bring this attitude to road racing. The SCCA Race Experience program will bring road racing to a wide variety of fun-seekers and competitive racers under one umbrella.